Auburn

Heavy and hard-hitting, Auburn's new album "Do Not Resuscitate" is a pounding journey of emotion, dedication and truth.

Technically an EP, the disc is a seven-track piece of original, locally produced music from the four-member group led by Sean Lewis.

The band's first release, "Do Not Resuscitate" is mostly a collaboration of experimental songs compiled by the group without care for what others might think, said Lewis.

However, this album represents the style that the band has intended to create for itself.

"The album is pretty consistent with who we are as a sound," he said. "Mostly, this was an experiment."

If Auburn is an experiment in the works, may this experiment continue for a long time to come.
Featuring a kaleidoscope of heavy sounds, many of the tracks seems to transcend a single music genre and are filled with components from other areas including indie-sounding lyrics and metal rock.

Each track is filled with angst, relationship pressure and exploration of oneself and others, and though Lewis said he wasn't seeking any sort of religious experience with the music, the list of song names includes religious references (such as St. Francis of Assisi and Baptismal Fount). Perhaps something deeper is at work here.
Only one song, "Emotion," is hard to handle because it offers 30 minutes of over-the-top wailing.

Otherwise, the playlist simply rocks. To steal a line from the title track, "you've got some real attitude."

"This is me trying to expose people to Auburn," Lewis said. "It's definitely unlike anything I've done before as far as excursions into music."
Auburn has played throughout the Willamette Valley since early 2006, and if this disc is any indication of what the group has not been sharing, then only selfishness can describe this act. Let there be more from this group, lots more.

Powerfully building on each track from beginning to end, Auburn's "Do Not Resuscitate" could have the legs to make a musical impact in the area.
Working within the lines of those the band admires including The Smashing Pumpkins, Stone Temple Pilots and Nirvana, the sounds here also are original and fresh and well worth the time to listen.

This is the type of music that should not die on the record store shelves. Rather, lovers of great, independent music, should find this album and make sure it stays alive.

"Do Not Resuscitate" is available at Ranch Records for $6. - Salem Monthly

This weeks band is Auburn. This band is pretty special to me because I have known three out of four of the members for at a couple of years. It’s always crazy to me to know someone personally, then see them make the kind of music that you could never see yourself being able to make. Idk if that made sense, but its a phenomenon I’ve been privileged enough to experience twice…. it’s cool =D

Anyway, Auburn can’t really be put under a genre, and I don’t think that it should need to be, personally. This song, Loosing Everyone, is my personal favorite of the four that they have currently released from their upcoming album, Plague. The lyrics of all the songs that Auburn produces are basically genius anyway, but this song in particular I can really identify with.

All four of the songs they’ve completed so far can be found for free download on auburnblack.com, and their albums released so far can be found on iTunes. - quincon.tumblr.com

For 24-year-old Sean Lewis, a desire to start a band that just played music for music's sake was the impetus to launch Auburn, a McMinnville-based mid-'90s rock 'n' roll band, three years ago.

"I wanted a band without an agenda, other than to share my music and share my heart with people," he explained.

Lewis invited friends with similar yearnings to join him. In addition to Lewis, who writes songs and plays guitar, the band features Jesse Bearce on drums, Yehuda McKay on bass and Tyler Steele on guitar.

Bearce is an original member. McKay has been with the band about a year and Steele about six months.

Influenced by his grandfather and other musically inclined members of his family, Lewis started with percussion instruments in 1996. A cousin he admired had taken up the drums and that paved the way.

A couple of years later, he picked up a guitar.

"It came naturally for me," he said. The lower cost of the instrument, compared to a drum set, also had some appeal.

A 2003 graduate of McMinnville High School, Lewis participated in the school's jazz band Twilighters. He also acted in several plays.

Prior to launching Auburn, he played in the band Joshua Fire.

Lewis has been influenced musically by Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana, Stone Temple Pilots, Marilyn Manson and Nine Inch Nails. But the strongest influence has come from Joseph Stromme, his best friend from high school.

"He and I call every day," Lewis said. "We talk about the songs we wrote and share ideas.'

The name is a takeoff on his wife's suggestion that he use her sister's name, Aubree.

"That brought to my mind the color auburn," said Lewis. "You can define it as reddish-brown, but it has lots of shades. It's kind of an indefinable color."

The band's first CD, "Do Not Resuscitate," was released in April 2008.

While he describes it as inconsistent and a little sloppy, he said he still enjoys the music. And he plans to leave it that way, believing it has historical value in documenting the band's artistic journey.

Responding to the rapid change in the types of media in which songs are disseminated, Auburn is currently releasing singles throughout the year, at no charge. It is also recording all of its live shows.

"People have the opportunity to buy the show they're at," he said.

When all the songs for the band's next album are ready, Lewis plans to head back into recording history and release it exclusively on vinyl. He's dubbed it "Plague."

Born in Hillsboro, Lewis lived in various parts of the Tualatin valley before moving to McMinnville in 1999.

"I love it here," he said. "I don't ever want to move away.

"With Auburn, we want to keep playing forever. We love what we do."

Auburn played for the Portland Action Sports Expo in May at the Oregon Convention Center after discovering auditions were being held for the gig through sonicbids.com, a website which connects bands with promoters.

To make ends meet for his wife, Teal, and infant son, Eamon, while he pursues a career in music, Lewis is working at Starbucks. He notes with no small pride that his son is a seventh-generation Oregonian.

He also enjoys skateboarding, volunteers at his church and collects vinyl records, both 45s and 33s. In addition, he records music for others in his home studio, as well as recording for Auburn. - News-Register